Investors and Analysts Reveal What They Want to Hear

NEW YORK, April 5, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The latest granular intelligence on investor relations in the US is now available. Investor Perception Study, US 2011, from IR magazine (LINK: http://insideinvestorrelations.com/investor-perception-studies/), covers the latest trends, best practices and company performances as determined by the investors and analysts with whom IR professionals communicate. This detailed report features direct feedback and analysis that is not available anywhere else. For IR professionals, it is an essential tool in benchmarking, planning, strategy formulation and performance measurement.

So, what do analysts and institutional investors have to say about investor relations practices in the US? Investor Perception Study, US 2011, from IR magazine's research arm, XbInsight, provides more than 150 pages of detail on this. Here are five key insights to get you started:

1. Sell-side analysts are vocal: of the 852 respondents to the XbInsight survey to identify the leading IR teams in the US, nearly 63 percent were sell-side analysts, with the buy side next at 24 percent. When it comes to what makes an IR team effective, the analyst community was far more vocal than portfolio managers and other constituencies.

2. How you handle a crisis matters: winner of this year's IR Magazine US Award for crisis management, JPMorgan Chase & Co, was cited by survey participants as an example of how to handle a problem, given its response to the issue it had with improper mortgage foreclosures. There are advantages to being open and transparent when managing a crisis.

3. You don't need an award to show you're good at IR: Citrix Systems received an A+ rating from XbInsight for the second year in a row and the fourth time in five years. Though it didn't win an IR Magazine US Award this year, the company has shown analysts and institutional investors the value of having an active, engaged and accessible chief financial officer.

4. Knowing your investment community yields results: Coach, which was nominated for a sector award this year, shows the value in having 'its finger on the pulse of the investment community'. The leather goods manufacturer was one of several companies that received a considerable amount of insightful feedback from survey participants, demonstrating the importance of staying connected with analysts on a frequent basis.

5. Pay attention to your conference call: after all, analysts and investors do. This subject came up several times in the anecdotal and structured feedback we collected for Investor Perception Study, US 2011. Even in an age where new forms of investor and shareholder communication are being explored, this traditional method is still crucial and watched closely.

Investor Perception Study, US 2011 (LINK: http://insideinvestorrelations.com/investor-perception-studies/) contains profiles and insights on around 130 companies in the US from more than 10 broad industry sectors. Of the 852 analysts and investors surveyed, nearly 63 percent were sell side, with 24 percent buy side, 11 percent portfolio managers and nearly 3 percent other. The research effort was led by XbInsight, IR magazine's research organization.

Janet Dignan, CEO, Cross Border Ltd

'For many companies, it was clear that simply mastering the basics led to the most impressive measurable results. New tools and techniques are important to the IR community – there's no question of this. But they must come only after a strong approach to shareholder and analyst communications has been established, on the basis of thorough knowledge of the company and sector. In the Investor Perception Study, US 2011, the top performers showed commitments to transparency, accessibility and the needs of their investors. And, quite simply, it worked.'

The Investor Perception Study, US 2011 is now available for purchase from IR magazine (LINK: http://insideinvestorrelations.com/subscribe/). This report is free for professional subscribers and can be bought on a stand-alone basis: $395 for the digital edition and $595 for the print edition. Media excerpts and interviews with Janet Dignan (London) and Neil Stewart (New York), editor-at-large, IR magazine, are available upon request.

About XbInsight

XbInsight is IR magazine's research brand, building on the publication's established global research efforts. Since 1991, IR magazine has taken its renowned investor perception study around the world, to markets as diverse as Brazil, China, Singapore, the Nordic region, South Africa, Canada, the UK and the US. In every market, the process is the same: each year thousands of buy-side analysts, sell-side analysts and portfolio managers are asked which companies have the best investor relations. XbInsight is building on that expertise for its new series of studies examining successful investor relations practice and the key drivers of investor sentiment. To generate customized reports on your global peer group, please visit our website: www.insideinvestorrelations.com/research.

About IR magazine

IR magazine is the only global publication focused on the interface between companies and their investors. IR magazine hosts events in the US, the UK, continental Europe, Canada, Singapore, Hong Kong, China and Brazil. Inside Investor Relations (www.insideinvestorrelations.com) is the magazine's companion website, which includes daily news updates that are highly relevant to investor relations professionals. Visit www.insideinvestorrelations.com for more details.

About Cross Border Ltd

Cross Border Ltd publishes IR magazine and Corporate Secretary. Based in New York and London, the company reaches highly targeted audiences in the investor relations and corporate governance communities through the two magazines and accompanying newsletters, events and websites. With roots in the Economist Group, we are renowned for providing quality insight and a global perspective. Our flagship publications, IR magazine and Corporate Secretary, are essential reading for executives around the world. Our awards are a key part of the calendar in leading financial centers including New York, London and Shanghai. With an expanding portfolio of digital properties and more than 20 conferences and events each year, we are well positioned for growth.

Visit IR magazine: http://www.insideinvestorrelations.com

Visit Corporate Secretary: http://www.corporatesecretary.com  

Tom Johansmeyer
Group marketing director
[email protected]
+1 212 430 6864

SOURCE IR magazine